Everyone knows that much social swagga that comes with holding a fancy (read: over-priced) cup of coffee.

Be it Starbucks, Coffee Bean or your local cafe, there is just that special boost that one gets from feeling just a bit better than the homemade/plastic coffee thermos toters.

Bolstered by a 6:30am Bar Method class, I arrived at work 30 mins ahead of schedule and simply refused to waste the beautiful 80 degree sunshine in Beverly Hills sitting at my beige desk. So instead of cooping up inside too early, I ventured over to our own little pretentious cafe across the street, Teuscher.

One fat-free chai and cute red cup holder later, I basked in the glow of the morning sunshine and vowed to make it a good day.

There are something things that just never lose their charm despite all of the oft-gross, new-fangled options swirling around them.

The Postcard is one of them.

Currently existing in a world of emails, tweets, ping backs, hash tags (need I go on)…. The Postcard is a small, endearing reminder of simpler times when people hand wrote words to those they cared for.

So you can imagine my shock and utter delight when I actually opened my mailbox and found something other than a Valpack mailing waiting for me.

This pale purple card from one of my loveliest friends now lives on my desk- a daily reminder that not only is today my lucky day- but that someone out there loves me enough to write it down in pen.

So, it is with renewed vigor that I vow to send more cards to those I love. After all, it is oh so much better than a text, isn’t it?

That is until I discovered that our heaven-sent kitchen staff lovingly perched these beautiful, sweet, fragrant beauties atop the 4th floor kitchen counter…

little bundles of joy

Something about the smell of nectarines will forever bring to mind my morning petit dejeuner in Paris. A crunchy baguette with an open jar of marmalade and a mug of chocolat chaud was all I needed to get me through the day.

With the delicate scent of these sacred nectarines wafting to my nose today, I am somehow strengthened in the knowledge that everything will be alright.

Now my mission is to create my own nectarine marmalade a la Paris…any good recipes out there for a teeny post-grad kitchen?

While living abroad, I walked every. where. and I think that is perhaps what I miss the most about europa. Los Angeles is so damn trafficky it’s almost utterly unbearable to someone so in love with the european walking/public transport way of life.

Not only did walking around europa keep me from outfitting myself with the well known and feared “abroad bod”, it also exposed me to so many sights, smells, and tastes that I never would have experienced if I’d been chained to my Corolla as I am in LA.

So in that spirit, today I decided to join some of my fabulous office pals on their daily “walk-in-lieu-of-eating” around the neighborhood that we are oh-so blessed to work in.

Despite being cliche at times, Beverly Hills is surprising beautiful and unique if you know where to look. I even discovered that the above building on Rodeo Drive was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1953.